The Cupbearer and the Baker

1While these things were going on, it happened that two eunuchs, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt, and the miller of grain, offended their lord. 2And Pharaoh, being angry with them, (now the one was in charge of the cupbearers, the other of the millers of grain) 3sent them to the prison of the leader of the military, in which Joseph also was a prisoner. 4But the keeper of the prison delivered them to Joseph, who ministered to them also. Some little time passed by, while they were held in custody. 5And they both saw a similar dream on one night, whose interpretations should be related to one another. 6And when Joseph had entered to them in the morning, and had seen them sad, 7he consulted them, saying, “Why is your expression sadder today than usual?” 8They responded, “We have seen a dream, and there is no one to interpret it for us.” And Joseph said to them, “Doesn’t interpretation belong to God? Recount for me what you have seen.”

9The chief cupbearer explained his dream first. “I saw before me a vine, 10on which were three shoots, which grew little by little into buds, and, after the flowers, it matured into grapes. 11And the cup of Pharaoh was in my hand. Therefore, I took the grapes, and I pressed them into the cup that I held, and I handed the cup to Pharaoh.” 12Joseph responded: “This is the interpretation of the dream. The three shoots are the next three days, 13after which Pharaoh will remember your service, and he will restore you to your former position. And you will give him the cup according to your office, as you were accustomed to do before. 14Only remember me, when it will be well with you, and do me this mercy, to suggest to Pharaoh to lead me out of this prison. 15For I have been stolen from the land of the Hebrews, and here, innocently, I was cast into the pit.”

16The chief miller of grain, seeing that he had wisely unraveled the dream, said: “I also saw a dream: that I had three baskets of meal above my head, 17and in one basket, which was the highest, I carried all foods that are made by the art of baking, and the birds ate from it.” 18Joseph responded: “This is the interpretation of the dream. The three baskets are the next three days, 19after which Pharaoh will carry away your head, and also suspend you from a cross, and the birds will tear your flesh.”

20The third day thereafter was the birthday of Pharaoh. And making a great feast for his servants, he remembered, during the banquet, the chief cupbearer and the chief miller of grain. 21And he restored the one to his place, to present him the cup; 22the other he hanged on a gallows, and thus the truth of the interpreter of dreams was proven. 23And although he advanced with so much prosperity, the chief cupbearer forgot his interpreter of dreams.